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Our History

Green Map System's History

Green Map System began with one small simple map and has evolved into a movement global network that is more far-reaching and important than anyone initially imagined!

The very first Green Map was created in New York City in 1992. Named the Green Apple Map, it was designed to help tourists, relative newcomers and native New Yorkers develop a renewed personal interest in sustainability, along with the natural sites and culturally significant places that make the city's environment unique. This fresh approach to connecting community and environment was conceived by Wendy Brawer , and published by her eco-design company, Modern World Design.

The response to this original map sparked the concept of a globally linked, locally adaptable Green Map System. By 1995, development of the collaborative global movement was underway, as work on GMS's local project continued. The Green Apple Map remains the one local project run by GMS's team in New York City, created both to benefit GMS's hometown and to pilot new concepts in citywide, youth and community Green Mapmaking, shared with the global movement. Find out more about the NYC project in the Maps section or at GreenAppleMap.org.

Though dated, our timeline and Credits page can inform more about our trajectory and partnerships over the years, starting with the O2 Global network, and continually expanding. We will always consider GMS to be a work in progress, reaching new communities, adapting to local needs, standards and skills and producing an astonishing variety of outcomes. Our network, like most Green Map projects, involves considerable collaboration and flexibility. We are proud of the generosity and the open spirit of communication and community that continue to make this possible.

Over the years, we have looked back at Green Map System and documented its evolution. Read the articles listed below for in-depth "snapshots" of GMS and reflections about the ways in which it has grown. Most were written by Founding Director Wendy Brawer, often in collaboration with Mapmakers and others. There are also other historical resources, including

Comparing Green Maps
juxtaposes different styles to give you a sense of the abundant creativitity among the Mapmakers and the regional sensibility that guides their design choices.

“Historical” Albums collected from special events including Aichi EXPO 2005, our first Global Meeting and European Meeting, and from Yogyakarta Indonesia, Breda The Netherlands and New York Green Map projects. More historical pages include one about Partners, some wonderful Quotes and more glimpses of past events.